• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Employment Law

Can I prohibit employees from all smoking?

07/07/2014
Q. I despise cigarette smoking, and I want to restrict my employees from smoking as much as possible. To what extent can I do so?

What’s our risk of a sexual harassment suit?

07/07/2014
Q. The vice president of my company, whom I appointed, is really a nice guy, but he has propositioned many of the female employees on multiple occasions for sexual acts in his office. He has a great attitude towards the female employees who agree, but those who refuse have been recently discharged without my consent. Is this sexual harassment?

What could a race discrimination suit cost us?

07/07/2014
Q. An employee recently filed suit claiming race discrimination. What kinds of damages can he sue for, and what compensation could he receive?

What can I do about employee who is accusing me of wrongdoing?

07/07/2014
Q. An employee of mine recently reported me after allegedly seeing me “physically harm” another of my employees. Can I discharge this employee for reporting me?

Do we have an age discrimination risk if employee can no longer perform his job?

07/07/2014
Q. Jim has been a security guard for my company for over 20 years, and has always performed his duties without problem. Since his 60th birthday a few years ago, however, Jim has become steadily less able to walk the required distances during his rounds, and has also been forgetting crucial requirements of his position. Am I allowed to discharge him?

Supreme Court rules public employee’s sworn testimony is protected

07/07/2014
On June 19, declaring that “pub­­lic employees do not renounce their citizenship when they accept employment,” the U.S. Supreme Court held that the First Amend­­ment protects a public employee’s truthful sworn testimony, compelled by subpoena.

NLRB dings Fort Worth company for contract violation

07/07/2014
Three employees of FTSS Joint Ven­­ture will receive $105,000 in back pay and damages after the NLRB ruled the company violated the National Labor Relations Act when it unilaterally eliminated one job and created new, lower-paying positions to replace those held by the employees.

Houston City Council passes anti-discrimination measure

07/07/2014
Houston employers have a new local anti-discrimination ordinance to comply with. In addition to the classes protected by federal and state law, Houston now protects employees from discrimination based on familial status, marital status, gender identity and sexual orientation.

Complaint lacks details? Don’t demand more

07/07/2014
Some employees don’t get help with their potential employment lawsuits until after the EEOC has tossed out their complaints. By then, it may be too late—unless the employer makes a common mistake and pushes for more details. Instead, let it go. That way, you might win the case even if the claim was potentially valid.

Don’t discuss discipline with employees’ co-workers

07/07/2014
Sometimes, keeping quiet is the best approach. That’s certainly true when you discipline or terminate employees for poor performance. Bad-mouthing an employee won’t do any good and may mean a needless lawsuit if the employee’s reputation suffers.